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Sunday, May 3, 2015

The Prophecy of the Seven Fires
according to The Mishomis Book by Edward Benton Banai

Seven prophets appeared to the people. The First Prophet
told the people that in the time of the First Fire they would leave their homes
by the sea and follow the sign of the megis. They were to journey west into
strange lands in search of a island in the shape of a turtle. This island will
be linked to the purification of the earth. Such an island was to be found at
the beginning and at the end of their journey. Along the way they would find a
river connecting two large sweet water seas. This river would be narrow and
deep as though a knife had cut through the land. They would stop seven times to
create villages but they would know that their journey was complete when they
found food growing on the water. If they did not leave, there would be much
suffering and they would be destroyed. And they would be pursued and attacked
by other nations along the way so they must be strong and ready to defend
themselves.

The Second Prophet told them they could recognize the Second
Fire because while they were camped by a sweet water sea they would lose their
direction and that the dreams of a little boy would point the way back to the
true path, the stepping stones to their future.

The Third Prophet said that in the Third Fire the Anishinabe
would find the path to the lands prepared for them and they would continue
their journey west to the place where food grows upon the water.

The Fourth Prophet was two who came as one. The first told
them to expect a race of people who had light skin. The future of the Anishinabe
would be known by the face the light-skinned people would wear. If they come in
brotherhood there would be a time of wonderful change. New knowledge would be
joined with the old knowledge and the two peoples would join to make a mighty
nation.

Two other nations would join to make four and they would become the
mightiest nation of all. If they brought only their knowledge and their
good-will they would be like brothers.

The second being of the Fourth Prophet warned the
light-skinned race might wear the face of death that would almost look the same
as the face of brotherhood. “If they come carrying a weapon and if they seem to
be suffering, beware. Behind this face is greed. You shall recognize the face
of death if the rivers are poisoned and the fish are unfit to eat.”

The Fifth Prophet said that in the time of the Fifth Fire
there will be a struggle between the way of the mind of the light-skinned
people and the natural path of spirit of the many nations of natural people.
“As this fire loses its heat there will come among the people those who promise
great joy and salvation. If the people accept this promise and abandon the old
ways, the struggle will continue for many generations. This promise is false
and it will nearly destroy those who accept it.”

The Sixth Prophet told them that in the time of Sixth Fire
it would be clear that the promise accepted during the Fifth Fire was false.
“Those who were deceived by this promise will take their children away from the
teachings of the elders. The elders will lose their purpose in life and many
will become sick and die. Many people will be out of balance and the cup of
life will become the cup of grief.”

The Seventh Prophet was younger than the others who had come
and there was a glowing light from his eyes. He said that there would come a
time when the waters had been so poisoned that the animals and plants that
lived there would fall sick and begin to die. Much of the forests and prairies
would be gone so the air would begin to lose the power of life. The way of the mind brought to the red, black,
and yellow nation by the white nation would bring danger to the whole earth. In
this time there will arise Osh-ki-bi-ma-di-zeeg, a new people who will emerge
from the clouds of illusion. They will retrace their steps to find the
treasures that had been left by the trail. The stories that had been lost will
be returned to them. They will remember the Original Instructions and find
strength in the way of the circle. Their search will take them to the elders
and the new people will ask for guidance. But many of the elders will have
walked the Path of the Souls to the Star Web. Many elders will have forgotten
their wisdom and they will not be able to help. Some of the elders will point
in the wrong direction and others will remain silent because of their fear.
Some of the elders will be silent because no one has asked them for their
wisdom.

If the New People will find trust in the way of all things,
in the circle, they will no longer need the selfish voice of the ego and they
can begin to trust their inner voice. Wisdom will be once again be found in
dreams of the night and of the day. The sacred fire will once again be lit. The
Light-skinned People will be given a choice between two paths. If they choose
the right path the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth Fire and final fire of
brotherhood and sisterhood. If they choose the wrong path, remaining on the
path of the mind, then the destruction they brought with them will come back to
destroy them. The people of the earth will experience much suffering and death

Sunday, November 23, 2014

I have always thought my life was well mapped out. I knew what I wanted. I knew how to go about achieving what I wanted and I was journeying on the path just as planned. My compass was pointed in the right direction and all I needed to do, was stay the course. Then the inevitable happens. The uncomfortable groundlessness beneath my feet lets me know, without a doubt, that major life-changing events are happening that may have me changing course. My compass is broken.Change is never easy. With every breath I take, a change occurs. What makes it difficult is when I convince myself that I am not ready for the change. Over the years, I formed a lot of ideas about what life is, oftentimes based on unrealistic hopes and standards. I learned that what I thought life was supposed to be like, was not always the case. I often found myself frustrated when reality set in and it fell short of my expectations. Never have expectations played a more significant role than in relationships with others. In any healthy relationship there are certain expectations, like being treated well and being respected. Those are realistic expectations. But sometimes I have found myself in a relationship that did not mirror what I anticipated would happen. At times like this I experience sadness, hurt, remorse or betrayal. Finding new direction, for me, means changing my perspective. If I cannot change the circumstance, I need to change my perspective. This means seeing the perfection in the relationship, just the way it is. With eyes full of clarity, I am capable of changing the relationships in my life by adjusting my point of view.

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

A quiescent mind is a bit of an oxymoron. One may have the appearance of being in a
state of ‘quietness’ or ‘inactivity’ however, the mind keeps firing. In any new initiative there are moments of
doubt. There will be days when one flies
high and days when everything seems to be falling in on you. Those ‘falling in’ days are a blessing because
it affords us the opportunity to sit up and take notice. We take notice of
things that make us feel bad and things that make us feel good and we take
notice when we experience some measure of fear with both of these perspectives.

There are times when we don’t move forward with the things
that make us feel good for many reasons but the common denominator is fear;
fear of feeling good, fear of pleasure, and fear of bliss, fear of failure.

The most rewarding things our lives can come with great difficulty
or great ease. How we deal with
transformative steps in our life is a choice.
We can chose to step in to the change with trust knowing that life will
always provide us with what we need. Or,
we can fight the change and cling to a painful past, thus letting fear overtake
trust.

Transformation is like a mini death. Any life-changing event is like a mini
death. And when this mini death comes in to your life
it can rattle your bones. Our vision
becomes quite clouded at this point. We
may choose avoidance or denial rather than going forward in to the unknown and
trusting that there is a better path for us.
A path that can lead to untold bliss and happiness. We just need to step up and follow it.

I trust that there is a cosmic rhythm and I resonate with
it. Everything always comes back to ‘balance’.
So even when I seem to get out of sync, it will bring me back.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

When I approach a new blank canvas I attempt to establish a
dialogue. That dialogue is with me and the canvas; me and my inner
perception of my world; me and those who stop to view the work. I open
conversations with signs and signifiers. I give clues. I try to reach into the recesses beyond what we see
with the eye alone. I journey to the bare essence of a moment in time. With
each canvas I hope to create a sense of anticipation. I want people to
feel that "something" is happening outside of the scope of what you
can see. I want the viewer to participate. And most of all, I want to
remain a participant myself.

Creating, whether it be with paint, textiles, or sculptures,
gives me my voice. When words alone are not enough, I paint. When I
establish this dialogue with a canvas I am given permission to speak in many
more languages than just the language I use for words. It is that
‘unifier’ that reaches across all barriers to convey and idea; a story; my
story.

I wrote those words some time ago in response to a question
from my artist friend Katherine Treffinger.
Today, I revisit those words and what stands out in my mind is; ‘I
journey to the bare essence of a moment in time. ‘ It is those moments in time that can be
life-affirming, life-changing, or a moment that can bring us to our knees.

Once or twice during my life, something has happened to push
my ordinary mind out of the way, and partially open a little door into an
entirely different knowledge; a most lovely, satisfying knowledge. During those rare moments one knows, that even the most painful and
miserable moments that life throws at us, it is still worthwhile. It is worthwhile because of the joy and
beauty which comes after and before it, and indeed, all around it.

Our lives are an act of invocation. Whether we are aware of it or not, whether we
like it or not, every act and thought, the taking up of an attitude of mind, is
a mystic act of invocation, and draws unseen powers to our aid or our undoing. So our position is really one of immense
power and potency at all times.

Each moment, each day we are faced with new struggles; we
battle with our limitations and we make difficult choices. It is
my wish that we all come to a place where we see these moments, these
struggles, as the most beautiful things.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

There are several major turning
points in our life such as when we pass from child to teen; from teen to young
adult; from adult to senior. In addition, there have been spiritual turning
points for me. The most significant turning point was reaching that age when we
no longer understand the music of the younger crowd; when we think that the
young dress odd; when we look in the mirror and we do not recognize the face
looking back.

There was a time when I thought reaching a
certain age was an event not to be celebrated. However, now that I am
officially in the 'senior' category, there is an overwhelming peace that comes
with it.

In Neolithic times the Crone stage was a time of
mastery. Crone women were the tribal matriarchs. Their heightened
awareness of human nature yielded great insight and they were the source of
wise counsel for important decisions.

In our society, ageing is met with denial and
condemnation. Many industries exist to support our obsession with looking
forever young. Plastic surgery has become almost expected once the first
wrinkle arrives to mark the face. Age related medical procedures
reinforce the notion that looking old is beyond undesirable.

Once we enter the Crone stage of life, we
re-visit our body image issues. At every turn we are reminded of what is
considered beautiful; in magazines, on runways and television and movies.
We look in the mirror and do not recognize what we see. We see
wrinkles and sagging flesh. But in those wrinkles, we can also see kindness,
and a gentleness and beauty that radiates from within. We see years
of living life the way it should be lived; diving in to the good and the bad
moments and coming through with dignity and wisdom.

Many modern women have consciously chosen to
reject the negative images of aging and to reclaim their rightful role as
esteemed elders. These ladies are stepping into the Crone stage of life with
joy and dignity. No matter where you are in your process, embrace it,
embrace yourself, love your process. It is yours and yours alone. And,
there is no greater gift than life, at every stage.

Crone

She came from long unquestioned places where
metallic glareand smell of asphalt baste the skin to darknessand whiten the opened eye.The bones beneath the skin form sharp angleswhere once there were soft curves.She reaches up to touch her cheek,wondering if a touch of blush here or therewould make her look more presentable.It all seems so distant.She seems like water,whose surface has been disturbed.She sees her reflection,distorted; ripples on the surface.You can no longer see beneath the surface.She closes her eyes to the image that she sees.In her blindness, the ripples passand once again she becomes water.

Friday, November 7, 2014

The foil was crumpled and charred with the residue. I was about to throw it in to the garbage when the simple beauty of the crumpled mass caught my attention. Too often, we rush through life and miss the beauty in everything surrounding us. This moment; this foil; this residue, was satori.

In the Zen Buddhist tradition, satori refers to the experience of kensho. 'Seeing into one's true nature or essence." Satori to me can also mean seeing into the true essence or nature of all things.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Another sale!!!! Once again, an online artist I know has made another sale. The work itself, by all standards is bad; her training in the arts, non-existent. That is not to say that self-taught artists do not produce and sell excellent work. But, they train. They read books, practice and take workshops. They apprentice with other artists. This artist is proud to state that she has been painting for a couple of years and has never taken a class, nor does she read……anything.

So what is it that draws people toward her work, enough so that they put out hard cash to own one? . After several months of reading, visiting galleries and watching traffic on the internet, I have concluded that one huge factor in the success of any artist is not necessarily the quality of the work, but the person/artist themselves and their story.

People do not just buy the work; they buy the artist first, and then the work. We have instant access to all sorts of quality art, music and writing today through the internet. We don’t even have to leave the couch to find it, purchase it, and have it delivered right to the door. No one is really venturing out their door in search of good art. Well, very few anyway. What they want is the story. This story may be about the thought process in the making of the art or the motivation behind the making of the work. Or, it may be your personal story; the story of YOU.

The latter type of story is the one that is not necessarily told by you, but by others telling a story about you. All you do for the storyteller is provide the fuel. And here is where the artist needs to be so very careful. Be intentional and attentive with the 'fuel' you are providing.

I can mention a few names here and a ‘story’ will immediately come to mind for you. Names like Joplin, Garcia, Hendrix, Lady Gaga, Lennon and Dylan. These musicians do not even need to use their first names for us to know their story.

For the visual artists we have Picasso, Warhol, Van Gogh and Hirst. All the stories that we tell about these artists were fueled by the artists themselves.

‘So how do I get these buyers to like me and my story?’ you ask. Well I am no expert on this but I will offer my ideas.

We need to share something of value with them. We need to give them more than a sales pitch. We have to bring it to a personal level. In the case of the artist mentioned at the beginning of this article, it is her vulnerability; her victimization. A week seldom passes that there is not some huge tragedy in her life. And we all like to be the rescuer. So, we buy a painting because that will cheer her up. That will bring some positive into her life. I do not mean to suggest that these buyers do not like the painting they are buying. But they like the story first and then go in search of a painting they like and can live with second. And she graciously offers up gratitude for those who have stepped up to purchase her work. And I believe she is truly thankful and sincere. We love a tragedy and we love to be the rescuer. The something of value here is that she has given us the opportunity to step up and save the day, even in a small way. She sets up as a victim.

So, back to my thought that we need to SHARE something of VALUE with them. Value comes with the connections we make. We all like to know that others are experiencing the same things we are experiencing. It gives us a sense of community. So, stop always presenting yourself as the successful hero/heroine. Show your vulnerabilities and your weaknesses. Everyone needs to see your humanness. I am not suggesting you hide your success either. But balance it out so that a potential buyer can see your humanness.

Every now and then, show your willingness to step outside the box. Do something that makes you uniquely you. That could involve your travels and sharing through writing about your adventures. We have a local artist who travels extensively and paints and writes about his adventures. Through him we can become armchair adventurers. And…….we buy the work. because we love the adventure. Somehow, that gives us ownership to being part of the story.

Promote other artists whose work you admire. And the opposite of that is to NEVER tear down the work of other artists. (I say this after last missive, offering up negative comments about Hirst). As I painter I do not only promote other painters but musicians, dancers and actors who I admire and know. Some artists do not like to do this because they may perceive the other as competition. Competition is GOOD.

Disempowering others never serves you well. I have heard of many artists giving workshops and telling the participants that so-an-so is not a good artist; a good instructor.

Get involved with your community. That is, your actual community and your virtual community. Be willing to help others on their path to success. There is more to this than money. Share your knowledge, be willing to help, offer yourself as a speaker to community groups. Most of all, be authentic.

Be careful with your artist statement. Potential buyers do read them. Making yourself sound overly erudite will not serve you well. My favourite artist statement comes from an online friend who says, “I paint. Sometimes I use cement.”

How do you know what type of reputation you are building and if it is headed in the right direction for you? Listen to what others say about you. Recently, when asked if I would teach a workshop quite a distance from where I live, I asked how she had heard my name. She said she had not seen my work, (very honest of her) but another instructor told her I was an expert at painting on synthetic papers and with encaustic. Why I tell you this, is that I am far from an expert encaustic painter. I paint mostly with cold wax, not encaustic and I remain far from an expert at either. . I started to paint on synthetics long before they became popular and used cold wax long before it became well known. That doesn’t necessarily make me an expert, just an experimenter. This has become my story. Because I was willing to experiment and take risks with new materials, it has helped to brand my name in a certain way. Participants in my workshops often comment that I motivate them to play and experiment and I make painting FUN. So, that seems to have become part of my story/brand.

And that, in turn, helps potential buyers to understand my story and make a connection.

And those, my friends, are my thoughts on this subject.

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